Exercising device



Aug. 26, 1941. ca. C. B ULLOCH EXERCISING DEVICE Filed Sept. 16, 1940 Patented Aug. 26, 1941 cm ED: smresi Parent op -m g 7 Claims.

This invention .is directed to new and useful improvements in exercising,- device of the type adapted to be installed-in a gymnasium, home or office. for use in maintaining and developing the physical fitness of the human body. It is further useful in correcting conditions of overweight by, enablingthe operator to directly effect areduction of. the fat especially in the region of the stomach.

The primary object of this invention is to providea novel device of, simple construction adapted toproject from a wall or stand that will enable the operator to effectively and easily strengthen the abdominal muscles, rid the abdominalregion of excess fat and maintain a generally beneficial physical condition.

Another object is to provide such a device that may be installed without difficulty, is ready for use at all times without preparation and is without maintenance or operation cost.

A further object is to provide such a device that may be safely used without injury to the operator.

Still a further object is to provide such a device that is readily adjustable to correct operative height and is easily removable for storage when not in use.

Still another object is to provide such an exer cising device that will automatically adjust itself for correct operative position when in use.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following detailed description.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of a device embodying this invention installed on a wall.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the structure shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a front elevation view of the device shown in Fig. 1

4 is a vertical sectional view of another form of a device embodying the invention.

Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the device shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is avertical sectional view of another embodiment of this-invention.

Fig. 7 isa front elevation of the device shown in Fig. 6.

In detail, I is a wall against which is secured plate 2 by means of screws 3. A channel shaped securing member having a central hollow U-shaped portion 4 and laterally extending flanges 5 is fastened to the lower end of plate 2' by means of screws fiwhich project through plate 2" and into wall I. Normally the upper/ endof'portion 4- willbefromabout twoiand l5 5: operator.

one-half to three-feet from the'fioor of the room in which it is installed. A-square supporting arm having a dependingportion 1 and a hori-- zontally disposed portion- 8 is held by the channel 5;; shaped member,- the depending portion Hitting into the hollow U-shaped portion 4-. Aset'screw 9is=positiohed through portion 4 to-bear against depending. portion l so that the supporting bar maybeadjustably held'at different heights. The 10:" upper part of plate 2 will provide support at all heights. The abdominal plate I0 is supported'on the outer end of-the horizontal part 8 of'the supportingbar. Its outer edge- His curved so asnot to present a sharp edge that may injure the Plate ill is mounted by means of astem orbar- 12 which is partially hollowed to provide a rectangular recess l3 for receiving the outer end of 8. A slightly compressible rubber:- plug I4 is positioned at the inner end of recess 203 I3 toact as acushion-between the plate land the supporting bar when the device is used. The outer end of bar llis'threaded and the plate I0- is provided with acentrally positioned threaded recess l5 whereby the plate and the bar are 251- secured together.

Intuse the operator adjusts the height :of the plate l0 so that it is about level with the operators abdomen. Then standing a short distance from the plate for example from two to six 3Q inches, the operator'allows himself to'fall from theperpendicular toward the plate In until the plate contacts the abdomen. In this position the operator is off-balance andis leaning toward the wall I and is prevented from falling against 35,;the'wa1l by the-plate lfl'pressing against his abdomen. Immediately the fall is thus stopped the operator returns himself to normal, perpendicular position solely by pushing against' plate H] with his abdominal muscles and by 4.0v inhaling at'the same time, and when he has thus regained perpendicular position he again allows himself to fall against the plate as first described and then at once again pushes himself to normal position and this operation is continuously' repeated until the desired exercisehas been obtained. Obviously the number of times this can or should be done at one time depends upon the physical condition of the-operator as does the frequency of such exercise. It has been v determined that from fifty to onehundred times twice aday, before meals, is beneficial, butit is apparent that as the abdominal muscles thusexercised becomestronger and the fat reduced, the-operator can far.- exceed-these numbers and benefit accordingly. .Ithas been found that the use of this device will cause excess fat to rapidly disappear from the abdominal region and the muscle thereabout to become strong and firm. Obviously the plate I is to be moved to different heights to contact different parts of the abdominal region. The plug l4 provides only a minimum ocf cushioning effect between the plate assembly and the supporting assembly for it is undesirable to have much resiliency or give between the two. The plug I4 is more of a silencer than a cushion as it prevents the contact of metal against metal which otherwise would be noisy when the device is used. The plate I0 must provide a substantially rigid support against which the abdominal muscles act to push the body to perpendicular position. Some little cushioning effect however is desirable to lessen the complete rigidity of the device and the rubber plug provides just that. It is clear that a small heavy coil spring might be used in its place as well as other substitute cushioning and silencing substances. In the above described construction there is no locking means between the plate assembly and the support assembly and the plate assembly may be slid from the horizontal arm portion 8 at any time. The supporting arm may be removed from the wall by loosening the set screw 9 and withdrawing depending portion '1 from U-shaped portion 4. Thus it may be quickly dismantled so as to be out of the way when not in use.

Another embodiment of the invention is shown in Figs. 4 and in which the device is fastened directly to the wall I by means of screws I6 extending through the sides of a bracket I! that is provided with a central threaded portion 18. A pipe 19 is provided with threads 20 at one end by which it is screwed into threaded portion I8 of bracket [1.

The abdominal plate 21 is constructed of hard rubber which is secured to a bracket 22 by means of screws 23. This bracket is provided with a boss 24 having a central threaded portion 25. A stem or pipe 26 having an outer diameter slightly less than the inner diameter of pipe [9 has a threaded end by which it is secured in the threaded portion 25 of the bracket. A rubber washer or cushion 21 is positioned around pipe 26 and against boss 24. The plate 2| is removably held in operative position by pipe 19, the smaller pipe 23 fitting within pipe [9, and the end of pipe I!) positioned against rubber cushion 27. Some additional amount of resiliency is obtained in the use of the hard rubber plate l0 and it may bend slightly around the edges to accommodate itself somewhat to the contour of the body of the operator. The front elevation view of the plate shows the contour to be nearly rectangular with rounded corners rather than circular as shown in the structure illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. This shape is a matter of choice and may be most anything such for example as diamond shape, semi-circular, elliptical and the like.

Still another form of the device is shown in Figs. 6 and '7 in which the device includes a wooden platform 28 and a perpendicular metal panel 29 secured to the plate by means of angle iron 30, rivets 3i and screws 32. Such a structure may be used when it is not desirable to mount the device on a wall. The horizontal supporting arm 33 is provided with a flanged end 34 through which it is secured to the upper end of panel 29 by means of nuts and bolts 35. The outer end of arm 33 is provided with a semicircular recess or socket 36 and the outer surface of that end of 33 is threaded as at 31. The plate 38 is formed of sheet metal, is of elliptical appearance as shown in Fig. 7 and is curved inwardly at its edge as shown at 39 to present a rounded edge which will not injure the operator. This plate is fastened to a bracket 40 by means of rivets 4i and bracket 40 is centrally threaded at 42. A stem 43 is provided with a threaded end by which it is secured to the threaded part of bracket 40. The other end of stem 43 is provided with a semi-circular knob 44 of greater diameter than stem 43 to provide a shoulder 45. The contour of knob 44 is substantially that of socket 36 so that it fits therein. A coil spring 46 surrounds stem 43 and abuts shoulder 45. A threaded cap member 41 having a central circular opening 48 of greater diameter than that of stem 43 is threaded onto the outer end of arm 33 and bears against spring it to hold it against shoulder 45. The method of eifecting this assembly is to position the knob in the socket with the plate assembly unattached to stem 43. Then the spring 48 could be positioned around the stem and against shoulder 45. Then the cap 41 could be slid over the outer end of stem 43 and then threaded into the position shown in Fig. 6. The plate assembly could then be screwed onto the outer end of stem 43.

By means of this construction a certain limited movement of plate 38 is provided for so that it can automatically adjust itself to the correct position relative to the operator when the operator leans against it. The spring will provide sufiicient friction to hold it in set position and the diameter of opening 48 determines the extent of possible movement. The top of cap 4'! provides the stop for the movement of stem 43 so that the greater the size of opening 48, the greater the possible movement. The metal panel 29 is of such size as to provide the slight resiliency preferable to complete rigidity.

It should be well understood that the various modifications here shown may be variously combined such, for example, as mounting the structure of Figs. 1, 2 and 3 on a stand such as shown in Fig, 6 and providing the structure of Figs. 1 to 3 with a ball and socket joint as shown in Fig. 6. Also the device of Fig. 4 may well be mounted to the wall as shown in Fig. 1 or the plate It in Fig. 1 may be hard rubber as shown in Fig. 4.

I claim:

1. An exercising device comprising a curved abdominal plate, a vertical support, a vertically adjustable supporting arm extending outwardly from and secured to said vertical support, means holding said plate on the outer end of said arm in vertical position and means positioned between the plate and the support for providing a slight cushion between the two,

2. .An exercising device comprising a vertical support, a supporting arm extending from said support and terminating at about abdominal height, an abdominal contact plate and means securing said plate to said arm in substantially vertical position and permitting limited movement of said plate relative to said arm.

3. An exercising device for the abdomen comprising a vertical support, a supporting arm extending away therefrom, an abdominal contact plate, a stem extending from said plate, said stem and arm being slidably'joined together to support the plate in substantially vertical posiprising an abdominal pressure plate, a vertical support, a vertically adjustable supporting arm extending outwardly from said vertical support, means holding said plate on the outer end of said arm in substantially fixed vertical position and cushioning means between the plate and the support for permitting a slight relative movement between the plate and the support when the user leans against the plate.

6. An exercising device for the abdomen comprising an abdominal pressure plate, a vertical support, a vertically adjustable supporting means holding said plate away from said vertical support in substantially fixed position, said vertically adjustable supporting means comprising a cushioning means for permitting a slight relative movement between the plate and the vertical support when in operation.

7. An exercising device for the abdomen comprising an abdominal pressure plate, a vertical support, a vertically adjustable supporting arm extending outwardly from said vertical support and means hold ng said plate on the outer end of said arm in substantially vertical position so as to provide a support for the user when he leans against the plate.

' GEORGE C. BULLOCH. 

